Beer: Reviews & Ratings

Grapefruit coloured head, cellared for a year which likely has mellowed the bitterness. The best I can say is that it is not too overbittered in taste, and without feeling too overmalted. Carmel does coat the mouth. More 1.5X IPA. A herbal aspect to it but quite drinkable. (273 characters)

Appearance: Pours a cloudy amber with a nice ecru head that leaves some good lacing around the pint glass

Smell: Rich in caramel and piney hops; more sweet than hoppy

Taste: Starts with a rich caramel malt presence that underscores a developing piney bitterness by mid-palate; after the swallow the piney hops generate a rather earthy character but the finish falls apart into a sweet medicinal and unpleasant let-down

Mouthfeel: Medium to thick body with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: Not a bad effort but the record of mediocre organic beers remains unsullied; what is it about the organic breweries that prevents them from competing at the highest level? (675 characters)

A very nice beer, however it does have some problems. The beer opens with a brightly colored copper hue, fluffy off-white color, and laces well. Aromas of sharp hop (citrus, pine, and grass) character dominate a firm malt base. Sweet tasting early with a clean malt profile, further clarified by pronounced hop bite early. The hops proceed with a very sharp, astingent feel late. Earthy, robust, and bitter throughout. Lemon and caramel flavors blend for a nice balance in taste. The astringency and hop 'bite' catch in the back of the throat and makes the bomber hard to finish. The beer sorta wore on me during the session -- could have used some help with this one. Otherwise a tremendous beer, clean and pure. (713 characters)

Glowing kumquat with an attractive infusion of coral red. If it favored caramel rather than red, I could almost be convinced to call it tawny. The golden ecru cap is spectacular with its 'solid mass of sticky bubbles' look and the thick sheets of lace that are beginning to be laid down in its wake. Revolution X nails the DIPA style in the appearance department.

The nose gets it done as well. There's a little too much caramel malt and not quite enough pungent hoppiness, but those complaints probably border on nitpicking. It smells like a balanced member of the style, maybe even a sticky caramel malt-dominated one. Let's find out if this brewery has finally come up with a good ale.

The answer isn't immediately obvious. This is probably the best Butte Creek beer that I've ever had, but given the huge number of outstanding DIPAs out there, even limiting the field to those from California, it doesn't quite measure up. In fact, as the ounces pass, I'm better able to taste the chinks in the armor.

As anticipated, there's a huge, rampaging river of melted caramel goo that flows over my tongue with each mouthful. I tend not to like this take on the style all that much, so keep that in mind as we go. There's certainly no shortage of hoppiness. Let's make that 'hop bitterness', shall we? The hop flavor is somewhat lacking.

Orange and grapefruit lead the way, although what might have been a bittersweet juiciness is more of a chewing on aspirin bitterness. If this beer tastes like this today, what must it have tasted like when fresh? The alpha acids are too raw and unrefined for me to get fully onboard. Alcohol is noted, but isn't bothersome.

I like the mouthfeel, but then I tend to like full, chewy, viscous, sticky mouthfeels on my DIPAs. I would have preferred less carbonation. It is fine-bubbled and it is dissipating over time, so I guess that's something.

It's never a good sign, especially for a hophead, to find oneself struggling to make it through a bomber of DIPA. Struggling isn't exactly the right word, but then the beer isn't disappearing with frightful ease either. Butte Creek Organic Revolution 10th Anniversary Imperial India Pale Ale isn't as impressive as its high falutin' name would suggest. While I did manage to find something to like, this beer ultimately qualifies as a miss. (2,325 characters)

Poured a hazy, cloudy, amber with lots of particles suspended. Big head gave way quickly but left huge frothy side lace. Smell was huge citrus hops, grapefruit predominates with pine and grassy undertones, smells like a hop monster! The taste was whooo, hops, hops, and hops,! Very fresh and strong citrus gave way to pine with a huge dry finish. Big hints of alcohol, but at 9+% what do you expect? ABV takes a bit away from the drinkability but this is a fine DIPA. (467 characters)

I tried this beer a few times in the past but never had a bottle to myself.Poured with great clarity a full rich copper/bronze with a tight creamy-like slight off white one finger head that never really completely settled.Lighter aromas of herb and grass with a touch of pine,a sweeter alcohol dipped fruit alcohol and caramel base shows through as well.Flavors are not huge,the hops are more herbal and medicinal in naturejust a touch of pine.The alcohol shows through and lends some big sweetness,there is a touch of nuttiness to the malt profile as well.Iam not sure how old this beer is,Iam guessing likely over a year but its still has some decent qualities to it,not great but good. (688 characters)

Taste: Sweet, toasty caramel maltiness transitions right into the earthy, resinous bitter hop flavors of pine, grass, and grapefruit. Moderate bitterness. The heavy malts try to make a comeback, but this is a Double IPA after all. Plenty of bitterness remains for the long, lingering finish.

Well, Butte Creek's really knocked one out of the park with this one! I haven't been impressed with their beers, and this is a great redemption (thanks to Blitheringidiot for the bottle)!
It pours a cloudy crimson-tinted deep amber that borders on heading into a chestnut brown. The creamy, yellowed light-tan head falls fairly shortly, but at 9.10% that's to be expected.
The nose is delightfully rich and malty with a bready, doughy-sweet, and caramelish side that's caressed by piney, citrusy, grassy, floral, and spicy hops. Do I even detect a note of vanilla? Niiice!
In the mouth it's decidedly dextrinous with a medium-full body and moderate, fine bubbled carbonation (bottle-conditioned?). Smooth and creamy!
The flavor is full and rich, but well-balanced, displaying sweet and caramelish malt upfront before it's spiked with spicy, juicy, piney, resinousy, and grassy hops. A bold bitterness lies underneath, but there's so much sweet and doughy malt tussling around with the hops that you barely notice it. It does step forward in the finish though, combining with the piney hops (and a squirt of citrusy hops as well... grapefruit, lemon-orange... perhaps Simcoe hops?) to leave it dry despite the malt. The alcohol isn't really noticeable (obviously you can pick it out if you try), and doesn't stand out; and neither the caramelish malt nor piney/spicy/grassy hops build on the palate. (1,402 characters)

Acquired from rayjay courtesy of the BA Secret Santa 2007, so a big "Thank you" goes out to him. Poured from a 22oz bottle into a mug glass.

A: The beer is a deep orange/amber color, with a medium off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a spotty lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is hoppy with some citrus and caramelized malt.

T: The taste starts out fruity, malty and sweet with flavors of citrus and caramel up front. As the sweetness fades, a strong hops presence comes in. However, ever despite the bitter bite, the floral hops flavor seems a little subdued. The malt character is hearty but not too heavy.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, strong kick, good representation of style, it's pretty good for an organic beer and it's worth drinking for a while. However, overall, it's not the first beer that I would choose when I want to throw down a good 2IPA. (963 characters)

Appearance- Copper-amber in color. Probably more copper or dark in color. 1/4 inch white head upon pour. Light rim settles in. Nice cobweb lacing on parts of the glass.

Smell- Somewhat sweet malt with a really nice pine hop scent. Maybe a bit of grapefruit and lemon as well.

Taste- Malt seems a tad stale. Also could use more of a caramel malt base. Has some sweetness, but could use a bit more to battle the hop assault. Pine hops everywhere. Really bitter and a bit harsh. Maybe a few months to mellow out?

Mouthfeel- As stated before, slightly stale tasting, not enough to ruin the moment though. Very creamy for a DIPA and a lasting bitter aftertaste with moderate carbonation.

Drinkability- A bit more sweetness and more of the malt, without the stale flavor and this is a big time winner. As is, still a very drinkable DIPA. I always tread lightly upon seeing Butte Creek products, as I have not had the best of luck with them. This, however, is pretty tasty and has just a few kinks to work out before becoming a fantastic brew. Worth trying if seen. Maybe buy one and sit on it for a few months? (1,264 characters)

Like aroma suggests, quite thick and chewy, perhaps not quite a modern Barleywine, but it is certainly when compared to many of the first craft versions of. Sweet caramelized malt sugars, but well tempered by hop bitterness and flavors. The bitterness starts almost up front and continues through to a long, lingering, astringent, green hop bitterness. Malt sweetness accentuates candied orange peel note, concentrated apricot, and lots of sweet grapefruit notes. This beer is really hugely hoppy, yet it has a massive malt presense underneath that is still struggling to come through the hop notes. It does come through, but really in the end plays a supporting role.

This beer almost has a hop burn to it at times; it can be raw and aggressively hoppy, especially in the finish. The beer is a bit too thick to be an IPA (even a double one), but that is just a personal opinion. This is a huge, aggressive beer; Butte Creek is really out to change the perception, or even raise the level, of organic brews here in the US. I definitely like where this is going, even if I think this beer is perhaps a bit too much. (1,363 characters)

Poured a copper/amber with a small head and very little lacing. Also quite hazy.

Smell is a balanced blend of caramel and hops, nothing to write home about, but pleasant.

Taste starts quite hoppy, but as you drink gains more of a malt balance. There is some spicy astringency from the hops on the finish, but I'm fine with that. Also some citrus and pine.

The mouthfeel is a little sticky, but it has some creaminess there as well.

Fairly drinkable. Contrary to some of the other reviewers, I found the malt a little distracting as I let the bear sit and warm. Its true that the aftertaste is a little astringent from the hops, but overall not bad. I could drink another, but thats probably all. (707 characters)

Thanks to egajdzis for popping this open...
Appears an orange toned amber with a small white head that fades into a mild collar. Spotty lacing is left around the glass.
Smell is of butter toffee, brown sugar, roasted nuts, and toasty caramelized grain.
Taste is of the mentioned aromas highlighted by caramel, vanilla, toffee, biscuits, along with mild citrus backing up the sugary goodness.
Mouthfeel is sweet, medium bodied, sugary, hitting on the front and the middle of the tongue with a slow, long lasting finish. (522 characters)

In the glass this is a hazy medium brown colored beer without any real head formation.

Smell is mostly strong tea and fairly tannic in scent. Hop aroma is certainly not missing, mostly grapefruit and wood in this case.

Taste is slightly sweet and woody in the first sip. Further along in to the drinking grapefruit and strong tea flavors add to the flavor. This is a little lacking in depth but it also must be given credit for avoiding the harshness trap that so many super IPAs seem to fall in to. This is certainly no Pliny the Younger but it is a good DIPA.

Mouthfeel is good.

A tasty DIPA that is quite competent if not outstanding. This is a good choice for a beer to introduce the realm of the Super IPA class of beers to those who might fear them. The only outstanding thing about this beer is how easy it is to drink. (838 characters)

Pours with a two finger cream head that fades slowly leaving some lace. Cloudy amber color. Good carbonation and medium bodied. Hoppy/citrusy nose. Starts hoppy, then balances with the malts, hoppy finish. High ABV is not noticeable. IPAs double or otherwise are not my favorites but this one isn't bad. $5.29 for a 22oz bottle from Hi-Time Cellars Costa Mesa, Ca. (364 characters)

A: Poured a hazy amber-orange with an off white head. There were some visible peppery floaties and carbonation was very good.

S: sweet caramel followed by a big aromatic of dry pine and grapefruit hopping. There was some breadiness aand grassy hopping in the end as well.

T: The initial flavor was bitter grapefruit with a dry grassiness against a sticky caramel backing. The sweet malt was balanced nicely with the huge hoppiness and alcohol which was hidden very nicely. The beer finished dry with a good hop bitterness.

M: sticky with pine resin, a medium body with a nice viscosity and chewy texture.

D: Good drinkability, with the alcohol being hidden nicely behind the huge hoppiness and malt palate. Overall a good drinking 2x ipa. (746 characters)

Shimmering orange copper. Slight bubbly dirty white head. Lacing is adequate. Nice little aroma of light caramel malts and pine tar like hop tones. Malt backing may be just a titch weak, bu tit's there. A little caramel. A little toasted. Hops are juicy and grassy. A little resinous. Not overly bitter. And also piney. And a tad medicinal. This is just a bit offputting, but not overly so. Although the aftertaste does start to bother me more and more as I drink it. A serviceable DIPA. But not one I'd be running out for a reload.

Taste brings more alcohol. Massive bitterness and hop quality. Its enjoyable, but abrasive. Mouthfeel, the alcohol pungency just doesn't go away, and it keeps this beer from being an elite level DIPA, and instead has to just settle for being a very good DIPA. (337 characters)

Appearance  This is a beautiful brownish-orange that really keeps out the light. The head came up perfectly and settled down into a nice residual foam with lots of lacing.

Smell  Oh, man, this is good. The hops are very complex at the nose. Theres something thats quite nutty that mates well with the big pine. Im getting some awesome white grapefruit as well. There are some light herbs in here, too, and everything just seems to go together nicely.

The malts are full of creamy caramel and juicy sweet. Again, theres a raw nutty flavor that goes well with the overall aroma.

Taste  Everything comes together at the taste, and there does seem to be an organic character to it. Its hard to describe, but if youve compared raw freshly-picked vegetables to store-bought ones you know what I mean. Theres a light sense of the soil and a complete absence of chemicals and preservatives. Its just the smells from the nose in raw form at the taste. Excellent!

Mouthfeel  This is dead in between medium and full-bodied with a wonderfully slick mouthfeel and a raw type of roughage in the cheeks.

Drinkability  This is a really special ale and deserving of the anniversary moniker. It is a very unique beer among many samples of the style (this is the 60th ADIPA that Ive reviewed to date) and believe me is one big big beer! (1,360 characters)

Appearance: Dark orange-brown with a burnished copper oak belly. Perfectly clear with a few slow streamers supporting the massive dirty cream colored head. Sticky lacing with a resilient covering, but it slowly breaks down. Below average conditioning yet it always reinstates the head with a gentle swirl.

Nose: Toffee hops and biscuit malts with an oily grapefruit finish that has a sharp angle to it. Rigid über hopped feel but with a restrained aroma that suggest that all the hops have been dissolved in a pan of boiling candy sugar.

Taste: Rich start, but it soon collapses in spectacular fashion as the hops and malts seem to fight over who should do what. Caramelized sugar, toffee encrusted hops, anise and a rather funny medicinal aspect, reminded me of accidentally tasting Germolene® Antiseptic Ointment, funny (weird, not haha) finish.

Mouthfeel: Has an oily body that helps to promote the caramel, toffee and hops, but the feel is scorching and rough, shot-blasted texture with a sandpaper finish. The 9.1% is neatly hidden throughout but soon peeps out shortly after the finish when it adds a slight anise tingle.

Drinkability: Reminds me of someones first attempt at Brewing an Imperial IPA, plenty of hops but this is very raw and rather messy in places. At 9.1% it is not one that you could enjoy in quantity al fresco like say a PtY. Stodgy with a lumpy composition which is rough and harshly hewn. Difficult to get past the last third of the Bomber.